VCM-06 Artemis
VCM-06 Artemis (Variant Custom Mobile model 06: Artemis) is a high-end Mobile Armor developed by Eon Research & Development Incorporated. It is piloted by the Chinese Manchu Qian. History Following the success of the original three Gundam, Eon R&D Inc wanted to design and produce additional models. However, the opinion of much of the chief staff and investors was that these Gundam were impractical and expensive to develop with minimal return. In order to prove otherwise, Eon R&D Inc entered a contract with the subsidiary company PowerCorp in which PowerCorp would instead produce three additional units of similar quality. Given predesigned schematics, PowerCorp set to work producing these Mobile Suits, the third and final of which would be Artemis. Design Mobile Armor Artemis is a Mobile Armor designed with a quadrupedal stance, with an appearance and design similar to that of a lion. Artemis is unique among its line of Gundam in that it is the only Mobile Armor among them, lacking a base humanoid appearance. This quadruped frame is designed for maximum linear speed, its four-legged appearance allowing it to traverse adverse terrain with ease. In addition to this, having a shorter frame makes Artemis harder to aim for and hit from the front or back. In Mobile Armor form Artemis is designed for multi-ranged combat, specializing in mid- and close-range combat, primarily using its claws for melee attacks and a variety of projectiles to attack from a distance. With great speed, Artemis specializes in pursuit and hit-and-run tactics. Mobile Suit While Artemis' base appearance is that of a Mobile Armor, Artemis is a transforming suit in the same vein as Poseidon, and as such is capable of transforming into a Mobile Suit with a more traditional humanoid appearance. In this form, Artemis goes from a variable-distance Mobile Armor to a full-on melee unit, designed to make full use of Manchus combat capabilities with high-speed, high-performance combat. However, unlike Aphrodite, Artemis is equipped with several weapons for use in ranged attacks, though the primary use is to deflect projectiles and pull enemies in. Armaments Mobile Armor *'Twin Fusion Cannons' :Mounted on the back of Artemis' Mobile Armor form, the Twin Fusion Cannons are a pair of twin-barreled weapons, each barrel firing a different type of ammunition. The larger top barrel fires blasts of concentrated gravitational energy, capable of incredibly powerful rounds capable of an immense amount of pure impact power. This ammunition is used for quickly dispatching enemy units and targets from quite a distance away. However, the recoil forces Artemis to remain still while firing. The smaller lower barrel of the weapons fire traditional beam lasers. The small barrel of the weapon is used for firing on enemies at mid-range to quickly pierce through or pin down enemies, while allowing Artemis to move at full speed. The Twin Fusion Cannons are each capable of rotating 360 degrees, allowing Artemis to fire from enemies that are positioned anywhere within its range. Each cannon is also installed on joints that can rotate as well, meaning that both guns can train on an enemy at any time. *'Concealed Variable Megaparticle Cannon' :Installed in the head of the unit, the Megaparticle Cannon is usually concealed, preventing enemies from knowing of its knowledge before use. However, when in use a hatch functioning like a lower "jaw" will open, revealing the Megaparticle Cannon. The Megaparticle Cannon, though compact, is extremely powerful, capable of reaching approximately 60% of the power of Poseidon's "Recoil Blaster", taking out multiple enemy units in a single blast. What makes the weapon so unique is that the energy can be accelerated or decelerated to give the weapon differing impact effects; acceleration will focus the particle into a powerful piercing beam for breaking through defenses. Decelerating the energy will give the beam a broader radius, allowing it to destroy multiple unprotected enemy units. *'Vibration Acid Claws' :Installed on the front "paws" of the Artemis unit, the Vibration Acid Claws function much in the same way as Aphrodite's Scissor Blades and Ares' Knuckle Blade. The energy focused into these claws is irregular in wavelength, giving it acidic properties capable rending steel and slashing through beam projectiles and weaponry. In addition to this, the claws vibrate to give them additional cutting power, for even greater offensive effectiveness. This makes the claws extremely effective in attacking units, and are Artemis' main method of close-ranged combat. Mobile Suit *'Compact Flail' :Stored and concealed within the both wrists of the unit, the flails are connected to an extremely long reel of wire covered in anti-beam coating. At the tip of the wire is a metal sphere, the size of which is roughly equal to triple the diameter of the wire. While called a flail, the Manchu uses the weapons as dual hammers, swinging and throwing them to strike and capture enemies. The joints and motors in Artemis' arms have been specially designed to make full use of these weapons in both offensive and defensive combat situations, allowing the unit to throw the flails at speeds nearing supersonic, and even use it to deflect beam fire. *'Vibration Acid Claws' :Pulled back and normally resting on the back of Artemis' forearm, the Acid Vibration Claws can pull forward to cover the units fingers (minus the thumb). When in use, Artemis can use the Acid Vibration Claws to strike and slash at enemies extremely quickly. In addition, the claws can be used for precise and lethal jabbing attacks. These claws are often used in conjunction with Manchus hand-to-hand combat capabilities for very powerful attacks and combinations. *'Drill Bo' :A seemingly simple bo staff, stored on the waist of the unit. While at first glance it seems to be the handle of a Beam Sabre, the staff will then extend to its full length. Unlike most units, this weapon lacks any beam generation features, and is purely a staff. However, the staff itself is made out of the same nigh-indestructible materials as Poseidon's harpoons. In addition, each end of the staff is a small drill, which is capable of piercing even incredibly thick armor due to their high speed rotation. Once the enemy unit has been punctured, the staff is also capable of releasing an incredibly powerful electrical charge, powerful enough to disable enemy units and even cause a full short-circuit. System Features *'Burst Thrusters' :Installed in the elbows, wrists, and ankles of the Artemis unit. These Burst Thrusters can be activates whenever Artemis launches an attack, in which doing so causes the thrusters to release an instantaneous burst, drastically increasing the speed and striking power of the attack. The small size of these thrusters makes their activation unnoticeable to enemies, making the sudden increase in speed a great surprise and allowing Artemis to unbalance enemies with unpredictable use of these Burst Thrusters.